Category: Health

When treating arthritis with PRP or platelet-rich plasma, the doctor injects PRP directly into the affected joint.

The goal of PRP therapy at top pain clinics, such as Phoenix Shoulder and Knee Clinic, is to –

reduce pain

improve joint function

slow down or even repair damage to cartilage

Platelet-rich plasma is often derived from a sample of the patient’s own blood. The injections contain plasma with a higher concentration of platelets than is found in normal blood. This PRP can then be injected directly into the site of an injury in an effort to stimulate a powerful healing response. By enhancing the body’s natural healing capacity, PRP injections can result in faster, more efficient and thorough restoration of the tissues to a healthy state.

As more research with PRP is performed, this list is likely to expand to include numerous other orthopedic conditions.

To know more about PRP therapy in Phoenix, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and an experienced shoulder and knee surgeon who offers state of the art PRP treatment in Phoenix AZ.

When your shoulder is causing you great pain, you want the safest and the most effective procedure to heal it. But an accurate diagnosis is as important as the treatment itself.

Here is a look at different shoulder injuries that can vary in severity.

Rotator Cuff Tear

A rotator cuff tear is often caused in throwing and racket sports. The symptoms appear when one or more of the four rotator cuff muscles are strained or torn.

Common symptoms are gradually worsening shoulder pain. The pain is often worse with certain movements, including reaching overhead, reaching behind the back, and lifting objects away from the body.

Dislocated Shoulder

Falls or intense impact can bring about this excruciating injury. During the actual dislocation episode, the patient usually experiences severe pain. Often there is an obvious deformity of the shoulder region.

Patients may notice numbness and tingling in parts of their hand or shoulder after a shoulder dislocation.

AC Joint Separation

AC Joint separation is a painful sprain to the acromioclavicular joint on the top of the shoulder. It is caused from falling over an outstretched arm. Football players and cyclists who fall over the handlebars are often subject to AC separations.

Pains with arm movement, swelling and popping sounds with movement are common signs of AC separation.

Labral Tear

The labrum is a fibrous band of tissue that connects to the outer part of the shoulder blade’s socket. Intense impact and motion can result in a labral tear.

Shoulder pain that may be in the front of the shoulder, deep within the shoulder, or in the back of the shoulder is a common sign. The pain often worsens with overhead arm activities or throwing.

If you feel any of these or other injuries are adversely affecting your life, set up a consultation with the leading orthopedic surgeon in Phoenix, at Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and an experienced knee surgeon in Phoenix AZ. He has a particular interest in sports injuries and treatments.

Tennis elbow is the painful inflammation of the tendon at the outer border of the elbow due to overuse of lower arm muscles, such as in hand twisting. An elbow brace is often recommended to allow quicker healing while undergoing treatment.

Has your doctor recommended an elbow brace? You may be wondering why you need an elbow brace. Here are three reasons why wearing an elbow brace is important.

Pain Relief

Tight muscle tension can produce much pain in cases of tennis elbow. Bracing can relieve that pain. When your muscles aren’t under stress, they get the much required rest which brings pain relief. The brace keeps the elbow free from any unwanted movement which also allows it to rest.

Stop Further Injury

An elbow brace gives a cushioning effect at end range to stop the bones from “slamming” together. This reduces forces on the elbow that can cause further inflammation, pain and swelling.

Injury Prevention

Most people look for pain treatment after an injury has occurred. But an elbow brace can help you prevent the injury before it actually happens. If you are involved in actions with repetitive overload on your forearm muscles, an elbow brace can be a great preventative measure.

If you are looking for effective elbow treatments in Phoenix, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and an experienced surgeon and orthopedic bracing specialist in Phoenix AZ. He has a particular interest in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the shoulder, elbow, ankle and knee.

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone, giving you the ability to walk. Achilles tendonitis is a condition in which the tendon becomes inflamed due to injury or overuse.

Causes of Achilles Tendonitis

A number of things that may lead to Achilles tendonitis include –

Overuse as in regular running, jumping or dancing activities

Exercising without inappropriate footwear

Poor training or exercising techniques

Sudden change in your training program

Exercising on hard or sloped surfaces

Achilles Tendonitis Treatment Phoenix

There are a number of treatments that may help. Initially, your doctor would prescribe conservative treatments for patients with inflammation and partial tears representing less than 50% of the tendon thickness. These treatments include icing, anti-inflammatory medications, casting, activity modifications, physical therapy and a gradual return to activities as tolerated.

Medication

Over the counter painkillers may help to relieve pain. NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help to relieve inflammation and pain.

Steroid Injections

Injections of corticosteroids are effective in cases of Achilles tendonitis. Sometimes injection may be guided by ultrasound for greater accuracy.

For most active, healthy patients with complete tendon ruptures or partial tendon ruptures which represent more than 50% of the tendon thickness, surgical treatment is recommended. Surgery is ideally performed within 2 weeks from the date of the initial injury before the tendon and muscle begin to scar and shorten. Surgery repairs the ruptured tendon edges back to each other with stitches.

To set up a consultation for Achilles tendonitis treatment in Phoenix, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and an experienced orthopedic surgeon in Phoenix AZ. He has a particular interest in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the shoulder, elbow, ankle and knee.

The shoulder is one of the most used joints in the body. It is also the most flexible. But this flexibility also makes it vulnerable to injury due to repetitive motion and trauma. The most common shoulder injuries include rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, labral tears and clavicle fractures among others.

The treatments for shoulder conditions depend upon the cause and severity of shoulder pain. If you are suffering from a severely painful condition, you may need surgical shoulder treatments from an experienced surgeon, such as Dr. Farber in Phoenix. Surgical shoulder treatments may include minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery as well as open surgery.

Minimally invasive surgery or arthroscopic surgery offers several advantages over traditional surgery, such as smaller incisions, less trauma to soft tissues, fewer risks, less post-operative pain and faster recovery.

Surgical shoulder treatments in Phoenix can be used to treat –

Rotator Cuff Tears

Shoulder Instability

Labral Tears

Clavicle Fractures

Adhesive Capsulitis or Frozen Shoulder

Calcific Tendonitis

Biceps Tendon Disorders

Shoulder Arthritis

Your shoulder treatments will begin with a complete evaluation of your condition by your shoulder surgeon. Your doctor will discuss with you the possible treatment options, including minimally invasive surgery, if necessary.

To set up a consultation with one of the best shoulder surgeons in Phoenix, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and one of the top shoulder and knee surgeons in Phoenix. His focus is on shoulder conditions, including rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, labral pathology, arthritis and more.

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. You use it when you walk, run, and jump. The Achilles tendon is able to tolerate stress but sometimes injury can occur to the tendon when overly stressed. This results in a condition known as Achilles tendonitis which causes pain along the back of the leg near the heel.

Achilles Tendonitis

Overuse of the Achilles tendon may cause the tendon to swell, become irritated, inflamed and cause pain. This is Achilles tendinitis. It is a common sports injury related to running, but can happen to anyone who puts a lot of stress on their feet (e.g.: basketball players and dancers). If you do not get treatment for Achilles tendinitis, the problem can become chronic and make it difficult for you to walk.

What causes Achilles tendonitis?

Achilles tendinitis is a common athletic injury. Causes of tendonitis include –

Injury to the tendon

Sudden increase in activity

Activities that make you quickly start and stop

Poor fitting shoes

Running or exercising on uneven ground

Tight calf muscles

Bone spur

Flat arches

Exercising without adequate warm up

What are the symptoms of Achilles tendinitis?

Common symptoms of Achilles tendinitis include:

Leg Weakness

Slight pain above the heel after activity

Morning stiffness in the leg

Pain in climbing stairs or going uphill

Swelling in the area of the tendon

How is Achilles tendonitis treated?

Conservative Treatments include –

RICE – Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate

Physical therapy and Stretching exercises

Anti-inflammatory medication

Orthotics

For active, healthy patients with Achilles tendon ruptures that are more than 50% of the tendon thickness, surgical treatment is recommended. Surgical treatment should be done within 2 weeks from the date of the initial injury before the tendon and muscle begin to scar and shorten and make reattachment it to its native position more difficult. Surgery consists of repairing the ruptured tendon edges back to each other with stitches.

To know more about Achilles tendonitis, book an appointment with one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Phoenix at Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and one of the top orthopedic surgeons in Phoenix with specialization in sports medicine.

The knee joint is composed of the kneecap (patella), thigh bone (femur), and shin bone (tibia). The ends of these bones are covered by a smooth tissue called articular cartilage that allows these bones to glide smoothly over each other during motion.

Osteoarthritis is a condition in which this articular cartilage wears away. This is typically the result of gradual wear and tear due to aging, injuries or surgeries. Apart from the loss of cartilage, bone spurs often develop in the bones of the knee joint, in patients with knee arthritis.

Knee Arthritis Symptoms

Patients with arthritis of the knee typically report pain throughout the knee. The pain becomes worse with weight-bearing activities like walking or prolonged standing. This can be accompanied with swelling and/or a grinding sensation with knee movement. As the arthritis progresses, a loss of range of motion in the knee is experienced. Some patients also report an increase in pain as weather changes.

Knee Arthritis Diagnosis

The diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee is made using the patient’s history, physical examination, and X-Rays.

Knee Arthritis Treatments

Knee arthritis treatments in Phoenix depend upon the extent of arthritis and the severity of the symptoms. Initially conservative treatment methods are recommended. These may include activity modification, weight loss for overweight patients, assistive devices like braces, nutritional supplements, and anti-inflammatory medications.

If the above treatments fail to relieve the symptoms, steroid or viscosupplementation injections into the knee may be attempted. If the injections are not successful, knee replacement surgery is recommended, in which the arthritic ends of the bones are cut away and replaced by metal and plastic components.

To set up a consultation with one of the best knee surgeons in Phoenix, AZ, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee clinic at 480-219-3342. Dr. Adam Farber is a Board certified, Fellowship trained and experienced knee surgeon in Phoenix. He specializes in sports medicine. He has a particular interest in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the shoulder, elbow, ankle and knee and knee arthritis treatments in Phoenix.